Grate for grading machines



W. J. IRWIN April 29, 1924. 1,491,802

GRATE FOR GRADING MACHINES Filed Aprii 5, 1920 WITNESS: INVENTOR.

W/LL/AMJ /RW/N.

, ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 29, 1924.

UNlTED STATSPATENT WILLIAM J. IRWIN, 0F HOOPESTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SPRAG-UE CANNING MACHINERY COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

GRATE FOR GRADING "MACHINESI Application filed April 5,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. IRWIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hoopeston, inthe county of Vermilion and State of Illinois, have invented'new and useful Improvements in Grates for Grading Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in grates for grading machines used in the grading of fruits and vegetables.

In grading machines for the purpose above mentioned, it is necessary to have the .bars of the grates spaced equally to obtain an even size of each grade. Many vegetables and fruits are separated into four or five grades and are therefore passed over as many grader grates of various spaces of the bars to obtain the separation of the various sizes.

As graders are used in connection with a large variey of vegetables and fruits, it is difficult to determine, when the machines are built, the required spacing of the grate bars for the particular purpose for which the machines are ultimately used. It is,

therefore, of great advantage to have a.

grate bar of a standard shape and size that can be used in a grate having spaces of any desired size or width. 7

One of the objects of this invention is the production of a grate which willbe readily adaptable to meet the requirements above pointed out. A further object is the production of a grate which willpermit. of ready detachment or replacement of individual bars which may have become injured or otherwise rendered incapable of further use.' A still further object is the production of a grate bar which will be of durable and economical construction, and which will permit of the use thereof in a sectional grate bar having graduated thicknesses at diiferent points along its length. i f

Other objects will appear hereinafter. H The invention will be best understood by reference :to the accompanying drawing, wherein .Fig. l is a partially sectional top plan cooperates a removable nut'13.

cooperatewith said bolt and the plates-7 to space the same apart in the same-manner 920. SerialNo. 371,191.

formed of a plurality of spaced parallel,

bars 5. Each of said bars comprises a hollow or tubular body portion provided at its under side with an openingor slit, 5, ex-

tending the entire length thereof, said body being formed at its under side with integral, depending, coextensive ribs or flanges 6, said ribs being positioned at opposite sides of the opening in the bar. Inserted in each end of each bar between the ribs 6 thereon, is a reinforcing or supporting plate 7' secured thereto by rivets or other suitable fastening devices 8.

The ribs 6 and the plate 7 at each end of each bar are formed with'aligning open- Qings 6 and 7 respectively. In the assembly a side elevation of the co-nstrucof the grate bars, said openings at each end of thegrate transversely align for'the receptionof a'connecting bolt 9 which ex tends the full widthof the grate, the bolts 9 serving to securely fasten the grate bars together, as will be readily" understood. The bolts 9 are provided with cooperating removable nuts 10.

Arranged upon the bolts 9 and inter posed between adjacent grate bars are tubular spacers 11, said spacers engaging against adjacent sides of the ribs 6, the

same being adapted, as will be seen, to determine the space between the grate bars.

The reinforcing plates 7 project below i the lower edges of ribs 6 and are perforated to receive a connecting bolt 12 with which as the spacers 11 above described.

With the-construction ,set forth, it will be seen, that a-grate is formed in which the grate bars may be readily and easily detached, detachment of the .bars' being effectedby simply removing the nuts 10' and Spacers 14 b 13 and withdrawing the bolts 9 and 12. With this arrangement then, in the event of one of the bars becoming damaged or otherwise disabled, the same may be removed and a new one inserted in its place. Also, with the construction described, it will be seen that any spacing of the grate bars desired may be secured by simply changing the length of the spacers 11 and 1 The hollow or tubular character of the bars produces a construction which is light and hence economical, but yet one possessed of great strength and rigidity. The strength and rigidity of the bar is aided by the ribbed or flanged construction thereof, it being clear that the ribs or flanges 6 serve to stifi'en the bar and to revent distortion or bending of the same. nother advantage is that the bars may be formed of non-corrosive metal which is desirable in machines for handling food products.

A still further advantageous attribute of the tubular construction of the bar is that it permits of a bar being formed which will itself be of various thicknesses at different points along its length. This can be accomplished by forming a bar of sections 5 each section being of the same construction as the bars 5 above described. The sections will be of varying widths, the adjacent ends of adjoining sections being telescoped together to produce a continuous bar of any desired length. When bars of this form are assembled, as shown in Fig. 4, the same form, as will be seen, a graduated grate for a number of grades. With this arrangement, however, the reinforcing plates 7 at one'or both ends of the bar sections will be omitted or moved back from the ends of the grate bar sections, so as not to interfere with the telescoping of the sections, as above described;

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, this is capable of change and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A grader grate comprising a plurality of hollow bars, each of said bars having spaced longitudinally extending ribs.

2. A grate bar comprising a tubular body; and a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs on said body.

3. A grate bar comprising a tubular body open at one side; and longitudinally extending ribs on said body at the opening therein. 7

i. A grate bar comprising a tubular body open at its under side; and depending longitudinallyextending ribs onv said body at the opening therein.

5. A grate comprising a plurality of hollow bars, each ofsaid bars having a longitudinally extending opening in the under side thereof; depending longitudinally extending ribs on said bars at the openings therein; and connecting means for said bars engaging said ribs.

6. A grate comprising a plurality of hollow bars, each of said bars having a longitudinally extending opening in the underside thereof; a pair of spaced depending longitudinally extending ribs on each of said bars at the opening therein; supporting elements arranged between said ribs, said ribs and said supporting elements having aligning openings; and connecting means for said bars passing through said openings.

7. Agrate comprising a plurality of hollow bars, each of said bars having a longitudinally extending opening in the underside thereof; a pair of spaced depending longitudinally extending ribs on eachof said bars at the opening therein; supporting elements arranged between said ribs, said ribs and said supporting elements having aligning openings; connecting means for said bars passing through said openings;

and additional connecting means for said.

supporting elements extending between and passing through said elements.

8. A grate comprising. a plurality of hollow bars, each of said bars having a longitudinal extending opening in the under side thereof; a pair of' spaced depending longitudinally extending ribs on each of said bars at the opening therein; supporting elements arranged between said ribs, said ribs and said supporting elements having aligning openings; connecting means for said bars passing through said openings; additional connecting means for said supporting elements extending between and passing through said elements; and tubular spacers arranged upon said connecting means and interposed between adjacent bars and adjacent supporting elements.

9. A grate barcomprising a plurality of hollow sections open at theirends and telescopically engaging each other.

10. A grate'bar comprising a plurality of hollow sections open at their ends, said sections being of graduated size in diameter and the ends thereof telescopically engaging each other.

11. A grader grate comprising a plurality of spaced parallel bars, each of said bars being formed of a plurality of hollow sections open at their ends, said sections being of graduated size in diameter and the ends thereof telescopically engaging each other.

12. A grate bar comprising a plurality of sections having adjustably telescopically engaging ends. a;

13. A grate bar comprising a plurality of sections having open ends adjustably telescopically engaging each other.

14. A grader grate comprising a plurality of bars each formed of a plurality of sections having adjustably telescopically engaging ends, each of said sections having longitudinally extending ribs.

15. A grader grate comprising a plurality of bars each formed of a plurality of sections having telescopically engaging ends, each of said sections having longitudinally extending ribs; and connecting means for said bars passing through said ribs.

16. A grader grate comprising a plurality of bars each formed of a plurality of sections having telescopically engaging ends, each of said sections having longitudinally extending ribs; connecting means for said bars passing through said ribs; and spacing means arranged upon said connecting means and interposed between said ribs.

In- Witness whereof, I have hereuntosubscribed my name. v

WILLIAM J. IRWIN. Witnesses:

THOS. MARTIN, AUG. HOLMQUIST. 

